The 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs have been staggeringly good, and now we’re right down to the ultimate 4. Goals of a Canadian staff lastly successful the cup took a large hit within the second spherical with each the Jets and Leafs falling, leaving every part to the Edmonton Oilers, who’ve been largely neglected for a lot of the postseason.
This postseason I’ve run predictions for the primary spherical, and the second spherical — with an general file of 10-2, incorrectly doubting Edmonton in each sequence. Will that change now we’re within the Convention Finals?
Florida Panthers vs. Carolina Panthers
The Florida Panthers are who we thought they have been — principally. The reigning Stanley Cup Champions are similar to the staff that gained all of it a yr in the past, pairing a brutal forecheck with strong protection, they like to grind out video games and pressure groups to play at their tempo, earlier than ultimately drowning them.
The commerce deadline addition of Brad Marchand has been completely unbelievable for Florida. Marchand gave the staff a much-needed veteran presence on their third line, and his management has actually allowed Eetu Luostarinen to shine these playoffs, main the staff with 12 factors (together with Marchand).
If there’s one thing to be a little bit involved for with Florida it’s goaltending, which is wild contemplating Sergei Bobrovsky was the hero of the 2024 Cup staff. Bob merely hasn’t been as dependable within the web these playoffs, with a save proportion of .901, permitting 2.31 goals-per-game, and having a below-average 50% of high quality begins. These margins have been ok to get previous the Lightning and Maple Leafs in back-to-back sequence, however they now face a really completely different problem.
There’s one thing to be stated about getting scorching on the proper time, however the Carolina Hurricanes have been preposterous these playoffs. Coming into the postseason as a middling staff with main issues in web and on the powerplay, it felt as soon as once more just like the Canes have been destined for one more postseason flame out. As an alternative we’ve seen every part come collectively for Rod Brind-A’mour’s staff, which is taking part in its greatest hockey at an important time.
Plenty of this has to do with Andrei Svechnikov. At all times a proficient participant, Svech has usually lacked that killer intuition to take his recreation from the realm of “superb” and switch it into “nice.” This yr that has modified. Carolina’s most necessary objective scorer of the playoffs, Svechnikov has eight objectives thus far within the playoffs and has routinely come by way of for the staff when it wanted it essentially the most.
Capitals coach Spencer Carbery known as Carolina “the simplest to scout staff within the playoffs,” and he’s not unsuitable. Everybody in hockey is aware of precisely what the Hurricanes wish to do, however stopping it has been damn-near inconceivable. This staff’s ludicrous forecheck strain is designed to shrink the ice and cease any offense earlier than it begins. From right here they like to grind out their opponents with a flurry of pictures, relishing in making the sport ugly. It’s not fairly hockey, nevertheless it’s ruthlessly efficient and to this point no person has discovered a solution to it after back-to-back 4-1 sequence wins in opposition to New Jersey and Washington.
Previously this tactic hasn’t labored within the playoffs, however this yr every part has come collectively. Out-shooting their opponents 332-240 within the postseason, the Canes have merely worn out their opponents whereas concurrently eradicating their greatest participant from the equation. We noticed with Alex Ovechkin within the Capital sequence, the place he was solely allowed one objective on 14 shot makes an attempt, after scoring 4 on 19 makes an attempt within the opening spherical.
That is all backed up by the jaw-dropping work of Freddie Andersen in objective for the Canes. A routinely dependable however unremarkable goaltender, Andersen has hit a brand new gear these playoffs permitting an NHL-leading 1.36 objectives per recreation, with a playoff-best .937 save proportion. Actually every part is breaking Carolina’s means on the proper time, and they’re the hardest staff within the playoffs by a big margin.
Prediction: Carolina Hurricanes win the Jap Convention Ultimate, 4-2
Edmonton Oilers vs. Dallas Stars
You couldn’t discover a greater stylistic distinction between the Jap and Western Convention Finals if you happen to tried. Whereas the Panthers and Hurricanes will grind issues out in a brutal, bodily sequence of deep traces and ugly objectives, each the Oilers and Stars play extraordinarily fairly hockey led by essentially the most pronounced star energy within the NHL.
Connor McDavid is determined to win a Stanley Cup, and the Ontario native would do something to interrupt the Canadian hockey drought to deliver the trophy up north. McDavid has been merely ridiculous this postseason with 17 factors and a playoff-leading 14 assists. He’s a pressure multiplier, like all the best athletes no matter sport. McDavid lifts the play of everybody round him and is unselfish sufficient to let his teammates have the goal-scoring glory whereas groups focus their consideration on the ever-present risk of the puck coming off his stick.
Very like final yr, this 2025 playoff staff facilities on the one-two punch of McDavid and Leon Draisaitl at heart. Nevertheless, this yr Edmonton performs a little bit deeper and extra various with its traces, leaning barely much less on its star energy up entrance to place video games away early. This has allowed for gamers like Evander Kane and Connor Brown to shine, giving a large third line push that the Oilers have been missing a yr in the past.
Edmonton’s weak level, a lot because it was final yr, is in web. Neither Calvin Pickard nor Stuart Skinner have confirmed themselves to be dependable goaltenders these playoffs, with Edmonton’s whole existence hinging on out-scoring their opponents and hoping its protection can forestall pictures on web. That’s going to be very troublesome this sequence.
What can we are saying in regards to the Dallas Stars aside from “they’re terrifying.” This can be a staff that already had the potential to make a deep playoff run previous to the commerce deadline, however including Mikko Rantanen has been a real distinction maker. There have been main issues early on that Rantanen’s lack of manufacturing would grow to be endemic, however the towering Finn has really turned the nook within the final handful of video games to grow to be essentially the most dominant skater of the playoffs.
Rantanen has an NHL-leading 19 factors on 9 objectives and 10 assists, being every part this staff was missing up entrance and why they made the daring transfer to commerce for the wing, then extending him on one of many greatest contracts within the NHL. Much more importantly than Rantanen’s manufacturing is how his dominance has allowed coach Peter DeBoer to play with the Stars’ traces, kind of placing Rantanen on an island on the highest line, whereas Matt Duchene, Jason Robertson, and Wyatt Johnson have fallen again to present star energy depth few groups in these playoffs can match.
The tough half with the Stars is each isolating the place they’re weak, and likewise how they’ve struggled. A brutal seven-game sequence in opposition to the Avalanche within the opening spherical was to be anticipated, however at instances Dallas let its focus lapse in opposition to Winnipeg which resulted in that sequence simply barely avoiding a seventh recreation. This staff is so dominant on paper than the field scores haven’t all the time matched up in a means that is sensible. A part of that’s merely youth and consistency, nevertheless it’s sufficient to pause and marvel why this group isn’t merely dominating opponents the way in which we’d count on.
Prediction: Dallas Stars win the Western Convention Finals, 4-3
